The NamibianFri 31 Jul 2015

*LET all the youth of different political parties volunteer to clear the places for building houses in different towns every weekend. *MOST of the current Nampol recruits didn't undergo a medical exam prior to their admission to the training college. Why investigate the death of a recruit now? *THE government should make sure that the money-hungry estate agents should not form part of the new housing initiative the government has embarked on. *IS it not corruption and worthy of investigation that Trustco bought the Lafrenz farm for N$10 million and make more than N$800 million from it?

POLL

Has government dealt with the housing crisis appropriately?

1. No, not at all

2. They are trying their best

3. All talk, no action

4. Yes, through NHE & mass housing

Results so far:

PRETORIA - A United Nations official called on Monday for talks between Botswana's government and San Bushmen moved off their Kalahari lands, but took a swipe at a campaign by a UK pressure group against diamond giant De Beers.

Botswana has relocated hundreds of San Bushmen from theirtraditional hunting grounds in the Central Kalahari Game Reservesaying they must leave the reserve to benefit from education, waterand health services.But UK-based Survival International says the relocations are tofree up land for diamond mining and has led a vocal campaignagainst De Beers, picketing its store openings and accusing policeof torturing evicted San Bushmen, who have lived ashunter-gatherers in southern Africa for thousands of years.

"I feel personally that it is important to push negotiations inthe interests of the San people and of all the people of Botswana,"Rodolfo Stavenhagen, UN rapporteur for indigenous peoples, toldreporters during a visit to neighbouring South Africa.

"I hear from some of my sources that there are people certainlyin government who are ready to engage," he said.

"I would hope that such negotiations could take place as soon aspossible and that the wishes of the San not to be displaced fromthe Central Kalahari (be respected)," he said.

The Botswana government says those who left the reserve did sovoluntarily, and officials have denied reports of torture.

Stavenhagen said he had received complaints regarding thetreatment of the San Bushmen, and hoped to visit Botswana.

"I think the San people in Botswana have a legitimate case interms of not being evicted from their homeland ...

which is the Central Kalahari Game Reserve," he said, althoughhe made clear he had not yet had direct contact with the Botswanagovernment and was not judging the merits of the case.

But Stavenhagen seemed to have little time for non-governmentalorganisation (NGO) Survival International's campaign against DeBeers, which has sparked an increasingly acrimonious war ofwords.

"In a way it has become a media event and that is veryunfortunate," Stavenhagen said.

"The interests of the San people are not best served by a publicdebate between an NGO based in London and an international miningcompany."

Survival International's campaign has touched a raw nerve inBotswana, a largely desert country of just 1,7 million people whoseDe Beers mines make it the world's top diamond producer by value,accounting for nearly 80 per cent of exports, a third of grossdomestic product and nearly half government income.

The government and De Beers, 45 per cent owned by AngloAmerican, deny any link between the relocations and diamonds,saying even if there were viable deposits they would only need tofence off part of the reserve to mine them.

Court hearings into the evictions began last year but have beenrepeatedly adjourned due to legal delays and a lack of funds on thepart of the San Bushmen to pay their legal team.

The next session of the hearings is due to begin today.

-Nampa-Reuters

But UK-based Survival International says the relocations are tofree up land for diamond mining and has led a vocal campaignagainst De Beers, picketing its store openings and accusing policeof torturing evicted San Bushmen, who have lived ashunter-gatherers in southern Africa for thousands of years."I feelpersonally that it is important to push negotiations in theinterests of the San people and of all the people of Botswana,"Rodolfo Stavenhagen, UN rapporteur for indigenous peoples, toldreporters during a visit to neighbouring South Africa."I hear fromsome of my sources that there are people certainly in governmentwho are ready to engage," he said."I would hope that suchnegotiations could take place as soon as possible and that thewishes of the San not to be displaced from the Central Kalahari (berespected)," he said.The Botswana government says those who leftthe reserve did so voluntarily, and officials have denied reportsof torture.Stavenhagen said he had received complaints regardingthe treatment of the San Bushmen, and hoped to visit Botswana."Ithink the San people in Botswana have a legitimate case in terms ofnot being evicted from their homeland ...which is the CentralKalahari Game Reserve," he said, although he made clear he had notyet had direct contact with the Botswana government and was notjudging the merits of the case.But Stavenhagen seemed to havelittle time for non-governmental organisation (NGO) SurvivalInternational's campaign against De Beers, which has sparked anincreasingly acrimonious war of words."In a way it has become amedia event and that is very unfortunate," Stavenhagen said."Theinterests of the San people are not best served by a public debatebetween an NGO based in London and an international miningcompany."Survival International's campaign has touched a raw nervein Botswana, a largely desert country of just 1,7 million peoplewhose De Beers mines make it the world's top diamond producer byvalue, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of exports, a third ofgross domestic product and nearly half government income.Thegovernment and De Beers, 45 per cent owned by Anglo American, denyany link between the relocations and diamonds, saying even if therewere viable deposits they would only need to fence off part of thereserve to mine them.Court hearings into the evictions began lastyear but have been repeatedly adjourned due to legal delays and alack of funds on the part of the San Bushmen to pay their legalteam.The next session of the hearings is due to begintoday.-Nampa-Reuters